


Alessandra

by DearCat



Series: Tumblr Archive [27]
Category: Bleach, Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, Protective Varia, Reincarnation, Sibling Bonding, Siblings, Xanxus is a great big brother, ichigo is the proudest little sister, insult her big brother and she'll introduce you to her fists, kisuke adopts everybody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:15:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24280420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DearCat/pseuds/DearCat
Summary: Ichigo figures it should force a bigger reaction, this being reborn as a little girl thing.But well, as Ichigo he had been everything from a regular teenager to a giant murderous maybe lizard-like hollow. A little girl seems like a step-up.
Relationships: Kurosaki Ichigo & Urahara Kisuke, Kurosaki Ichigo & Xanxus (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Superbi Squalo & Xanxus
Series: Tumblr Archive [27]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1533116
Comments: 91
Kudos: 1532





	1. Parts 1&2

**Author's Note:**

> mmm, I didn't write all that much today but at least I made some progress on the contractverse AU front.   
> so there's that.

Ichigo is pretty sure she should be more affected by this. When Kisuke and the rest of them find her, they’ll probably lose their minds. But Ichigo is fine with being a little girl instead of a little boy. At least her soul seems stable now.

Hopefully. Besides, she once was a lizard-like creature. Being a little girl seems like an improvement. 

The orphanage has been harder. Ichigo, Alessandra now, she shouldn’t forget, has had two lives and in both of them, she has loved her mother best. 

Sienna had been a prostitute, strong and fierce and trying her very best. Hopeful too, which was almost a relief back in the slums. She used to have beautiful red eyes and luscious black hair. 

Alessandra loves her well beyond the winter that took Sienna away. She doesn’t fear of forgetting her. All Alessandra has to do is look at herself in the mirror. The same red eyes, the same black hair, the same smile even. 

It would seem that taking after her mother is a recurring theme. 

Which is how Alessandra knows exactly who is in front of her when one day a man with fierce red eyes and messy black hair tries so hard not to scowl as harshly at her. 

Her mother had talked of him almost every night. Xanxus, her older brother who her mother had given away when she knew no other way to keep him safe from the gang wars in their neighbourhood. 

Bad temper and even worse mouth, Sienna used to tell her. Both aggravated and fond. Alessandra used to nod, secretly pleased because some things need to be said and sometimes people understand your fists better than your words. 

By Sienna’s exasperated smiles, Alessandra had not been all that subtle in her thoughts.

To Vongola, Alessandra remembers, Sienna had given him to Vongola. Because if he is to be mafia, at least Sienna will see him be in one of the strongest famiglias. Better chances of survival, Sienna used to explain, like asking for forgiveness. 

Looking at him so lost, Alessandra nods to herself. Poor Xanxus, she thinks with sympathy, being an older brother is hard work. Fighting is so much easier. And Xanxus doesn’t have a Masaki to help him through it at first. 

Wordlessly, she approaches him and then starts to climb him, watching as he scrambles to try to steady her without touching her. Silly Xanxus, she thinks but reaches to steady herself with a hand on his shoulder and her feet on the crook of his arm. 

“There, there,” she soothes, patting his hair. 

The previously silent silver-haired friend burst out in laughter and Alessandra glares, throwing her shoe at his face. Hiyori would be proud. Still, she might be the little sister now but no way will she let somebody make fun of her brother. 

But when she starts to climb down to berate him, butt on Xanxus’ forearm as she contemplates jumping, Xanxus’ free hand comes to press her against his side. Alessandra looks up at him in surprise, “Xanxus?" 

"Mother told you who I am?” He wonders, eyes scanning the little room she shares with three other girls. 

“Bad temper and even worse mouth,” Alessandra quotes gleefully, making herself more comfortable in his hold. 

Xanxus snorts. “Tanned my hide for it too,” he recalls. 

“The belt,” Alessandra reminiscences with old embarrassed pain and Xanxus winces with her before he throws his head back and laughs. 

“Come on, sorellina. Let’s get you out of here." 

Alessandra takes to her role as Xanxus’ little sister with the same determination she once went to war with. Xanxus is surprisingly gentle and fairly protective so there’s less to teach him than the whispers of Ichigo would have thought.

Neither of them is invested in night storytime but Xanxus puts her to bed every night regardless. She falls to sleep with the warm weight of her brother beside her more often than not and gets used to him checking on her after missions. 

She has nightmares sometimes, of the wars, of her dead, of Aizen. But her brother’s office is open for her to curl in his lap until she falls asleep again. Xanxus never asks and Alessandra is thankful for it. 

So yes, Alessandra probably should be more affected by this. This life seems bloody and dangerous, the mafia is not kind. But she’s happy where she is and wouldn’t change this new life for the world. 

Kisuke and the rest of them will understand.

* * *

Xanxus knows his sister. Or maybe he doesn't know her so much as he understands her. They're different, the two of them, but their cores are almost the same. Which is why Xanxus is not surprised at all when his cute little sister awakens her Dying Will.

Wrath Flames. Powerful enough to make everybody in the room stager. 

But as much as he wants to feel proud, Xanxus can't quite ignore the glaring scars in his sister's soul. It makes no sense, she was 6, almost 7 when he found her. Young and already scarred, yes. But nothing that would justify this. 

Which means that this somehow happened under Xanxus' watch and he didn't  _ notice _ . That's unacceptable.

Why hadn't she told him? Xanxus pushes that flavour of frustration away as soon as it crosses his mind. Because she does come to him when she's feeling unsafe. Xanxus never asks questions but he knows some things. Knows of a candy shop owner who thought her to fight, of some little girl called Rukia with an obsession of rabbits. 

Xanxus knows things, just not  _ this _ , apparently. 

And he feels a little guilty about pushing now but this he needs to know and Alessandra will answer. Xanxus knows that well. After all, his sister looks at Xanxus like he got bored one night and hung the stars and the moon in the night sky and then decided to add in the sun to the morning sky for good measure. 

He is his sister's world and he knows it just as Alessandra is the most precious of his treasures and she knows it. 

If Xanxus asks, she will tell him and Xanxus will hunt the bastard down and teach him or her a lesson or two. By the time he's done, the bastard would beg to die. Xanxus is not a merciful man. 

So Xanxus ignores the sudden silence in the room, the sharp intake of breath of Lussuria beside him and picks up his sister instead. She's getting a little too big to carry but Xanxus feels like hiding her away for the moment and she doesn't complain. 

Bringing her to her room is out of the question, it's her safe space and Xanxus will not contaminate it. His office is out for the same reason. His room is where she hides when Alessandra doesn't want to be disturbed so that's out too. So Xanxus carries her to Lussuria's division. 

Better that way because the Sun will surely ask to perform a full examination soon enough. 

She’s already scowling. Xanxus doesn’t sigh because it would help nothing but he wants to. He recognizes that scowl, he has seen it in the mirror enough times. “I’m not angry, Ale.”

But that only gets Alessandra to cross her arms with a glare. “I know that! I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Alessandra,” Xanxus starts and doesn’t touch her even if he wants to, “what happened to your soul?”

And his sister flinches, scared and wide-eyed, and Xanxus wants to  _ scream.  _ He wants to rage and destroy but right now it’s not the right time so he pushes that down instead and waits. 

“I…“ She raises her hand slowly to her chest and her face furrows like she’s trying to remember. “I don’t know.” But his sister goes on before he can say a thing. “It was unstable, in the end. I died.”

Xanxus closes his eyes, bites his tongue until he tastes blood. It’s one thing to suspect, another entirely to have it confirmed and he hopes. Oh, he  _ hopes _ that his sister died in battle because he knows both of them enough to realize neither of them would die of old age. But the way she’s clutching at her chest… Xanxus doesn’t hold his breath. “Unstable?”

His sister hums and he can’t help but eye the way she’s clawing at the skin above her heart but Alessandra doesn’t like to be touched this close to a panic attack. Not unless she starts the contact so he holds back, looks at her as she thinks her answer through. “There were too many pieces? Too many pieces meshed together and too many wounds. I… it bled out, I think. The last few months… I can’t remember.”

Fuck it, Xanxus swears. Fuck everything. Because Xanxus can't exactly go around killing people that may as well already be dead. This is something he can’t keep his sister safe from and he’s never felt this helpless before. “Ale? Look at me, sorellina. Can I touch you?”

“Kisuke didn’t know what was happening,” she murmurs against his neck and Xanxus picks her up slowly, hides his fury at the obvious terrified disbelief in his usually spitfire of a little sister and rocks her instead. 

“Ok, Ale. It’s ok.” He gestures Lussuria inside from where the Sun has been hovering by the doorstep. “We’re going to let Luss check you over, ok? We’ll figure it out.”

“I’m stable now,” Alessandra tells him and he’s not sure whether she’s trying to convince herself or him. He nods anyway, agrees and hopes with everything he is that he’s not lying.


	2. Part 3 to 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This honestly is not even over. I've got more Tumblr drabbles planned for this one, I'm just not sure when to post them because all Tuesdays until the end of the year are already covered.
> 
> I'm just debating whether I should just publish the extra drabbles I've got Thursdays. But I don't have enough until the end of the year so it'd mean making more drabbles. 
> 
> I want to concentrate on my multichaps.
> 
> On that note, I'm currently working on the HomeSky/WarSky's next instalment, Kisuke's POV for my little hollow series and a Xanxus! dragon prince consort AU.
> 
> I'll add more info on that at the end of the chapter.

Honestly, Xanxus is not even surprised when these particular bunch of clowns appear in front of him. He's just happy that it happens during his sister's first day of Mafia School. He doesn't want them anywhere near his baby sister. Not after he saw the amount of damage her soul is still healing from. 

There had been quite a lot of casualties the day Xanxus found out. His elements don't talk about it, Alessandra looks oddly touched if the subject ever comes up. The entirety of the training grounds had to be rebuilt but Xanxus figures they should be happy Xanxus had mellowed enough not to go out hunting. 

"Rukia, I presume," he drawls and looks the outfit over. Summer dress and a cute little smile, she looks like a high schooler and all-around good little girl. The act won't serve her well here, though, this is the Varia and they know better than some Japanese teachers over three decades ago. Alessandra is fond of her, Xanxus hates her with a passion that surprises even him. 

Both of them agree, whatever debt was owed to her has long been paid. 

"Ah, yes, mister Xanxus," she demurs, sweet as sugar. "Is Ichigo here? We'd like to talk to him."

Xanxus hides his fury behind his careless facade. He's a mafia Don, he knows how to play this game, no matter how compromised he is. "Ichigo Kurosaki is dead," he doesn't say because of you but he hopes she heard it regardless. "He doesn't live here." 

She falters at that, for a split second, and then recovers. "My apologies. I meant Alessandra, mister. Could we talk to her?" 

With a hum, Xanxus shrugs, takes a deliberately slow gulp of his whisky and watches her do her best to reign in her temper. "I don't believe you can, no." 

"And why is that?" She asks, tone far tighter and teeth pressed together. 

Maybe he shouldn't be taking as much enjoyment from this as he is but Xanxus doesn't give a shit about her comfort, "for starters, she's not here at the moment." 

"And?" Rukia demands and Xanxus lets her.

Let her think that she's untouchable, let her go on with that for a while yet. Xanxus wants to see the realization in her face, the fear creeping in. He'll draw the line in the sand and he's taken measures to ensure it will be respected. "And even if she was, I wouldn't let an ungrateful traitor like you anywhere near her."

"Traitor?" Rukia grits out and there it is, the temper. If Xanxus didn't hate her so, he'd admire her spine. "We are his friends!"

Yes, Ichigo's friends in just the same way that Timoteo is Xanxus' father. It's easier on the mind to call it kindness than manipulation, after all. "Were you? Then why is it that you only come around when you need something?" 

Rukia's eyes widen and she flinches back, Urahara beside her lowers his head and hides behind his fan. The third soul reaper just grimaces slightly and Xanxus has no idea which one this is but he's going to hate him out of principle. "Or am I wrong?" He goes on, knowing full well that he isn't. "Are you here just to say hi and not because you need a child to fight for you? Incompetent as you seem to be." 

"Soul Society needs…" 

"To lower its ego." Xanxus finishes for her, "if it needed to be created, it means the world survived before it as well. Your disappearance might make things hard for a while but the world will adapt. If an organization has become incompetent enough to need a teenager to save them when they have people who have been alive for centuries on their payroll…" 

He lets the implications settle, lets them see how unwilling he is to cooperate. Let them know he will not bow to their self-importance. 

"We could just ask Ichigo directly," she answers, smug with the knowledge that very few have ever been more important to Ichigo than his family and friends.

Xanxus doesn't let it bother him. This girl, centuries-old or not, is in denial. She can't seem to think of Alessandra in any other way than in terms of Ichigo. And yes, Ichigo and Alessandra are at their core the same but reincarnation has its impacts and as much as Ale remembers her life as Ichigo, it's faded like all old memories are. And Xanxus is her older brother, the one she admires and looks up to. The one she trusts to keep her safe. 

"You do that," he mocks, drinking a little more whisky. "She'll give you the same answer: no. My sister won't break a promise to me for the likes of you." But seeing as he doesn't want any of them near his Ale, he leans forward in mostly fake interest. "Let me show you something, before you go. Try to get out of that fake body of yours." 

Though Xanxus can see the obvious disinterest at the beginning, he can also tell the moment she realizes that she _can't_. Xanxus smiles, all teeth and bloodlust, "what do you think will happen to you should you die in that? You're, after all, already a spirit." 

Verde's services had been incredibly expensive to acquire but Xanxus wasn't about to get stingy on such important matters. Besides, the new data might just be enough for the crazy scientist to stick around a little longer. 

"You're a good brother," soul reaper number three says with something that tries to hide approval. "I am glad. Send Alessandra my regards, we will be leaving."

"But brother!" 

"Rukia," the man Xanxus now can identify as Byakuya reprimands, "we're going." 

The girl follows with a frown on her face and evident confusion surrounding her. Xanxus doesn't care, if he never sees her again he'll be a happier man for it. He turns to look at the blonde instead. "So?" 

"Her soul," Urahara begins, hesitant. "It can't be fully healed."

It's not, it really isn't and Xanxus is both furious and terrified. It must show in his face somehow because the scientist closes his fan, clutching it against his chest like a lifeline. Ichigo loved this man like a father, Xanxus knows. Alessandra loves him mostly the same, perhaps because there was no father in this life to muddy the waters. She misses him, after nightmares or bad days. Xanxus… he doesn't know how he feels about it. 

"I couldn't save Ichigo," and like this, without the fan hiding his face, it's easy to see the grief and regret. The desperation. "I couldn't. But Alessandra… the machines I made to keep Ichigo stable, they should help her heal." 

This is begging, Xanxus knows. And he wants to deny the man, turn him away and demand he never returns. But he remembers his sister's words "Kisuke didn't know what was happening" and her unwavering belief that even if everybody else abandoned her, Urahara would have fought tooth and nail for Ichigo's life. So he nods, ignoring the tightness of his jaw. "Send the research over, if it checks out, we'll contact you."

He doesn't know what comes over him but in a moment of mercy or maybe out of misplaced fondness, he reaches for the man. Xanxus lays a hand on the blonde's shoulder and hands over a small picture the Varia Commander always carries with him. Alessandra, smug and grinning at the camera. He has more copies anyway.

Kisuke leaves after that, clutching the picture to him like it's the one thing that keeps him going. Maybe it is. Xanxus… about this man, he doesn't know what to think. 

* * *

Alessandra doesn’t really know what to think when it comes to Mafia School. She doesn’t hate it but it’s not like she particularly enjoys it, either. She’s the Varia’s princess, Xanxus’ little sister and that means something a little different than the other mafia princesses around. 

But Alessandra, much like Ichigo, doesn’t go out of his way to make friends. She’s still a Sky though, a Wrath at that and with Xanxus’ reputation being what it is... It means most people leave her alone, except a select few that stick to her like glue and that she somehow, overexposure maybe, ends up attached to. 

One of them is Francesca. They are the same age and roughly the same hight but where Alessandra’s skin sports a healthy tan and her hair is mostly braided to keep it out of her face, Francesca is pale and her hair flares like a mane around her. She looks and behaves like the stereotypical high-class beauty.

Francesca, though, with her light brown hair and big doe black eyes is deadly. With or without the daggers she throws as easy as breathing. Francesca plays her roles like a consummated actress, Alessandra doesn’t particularly care. Not as long as she plays no role for Alessandra herself.

That’s probably why Francesca stays, Alessandra admits to herself. The first time Francesca tried to fit herself into what she thought Alessandra wanted from her, the young Wrath laid her down on her back with a broken nose and a busted lip. Francesca never tried again and Alessandra gained her Sun. 

Xanxus had thought the entire thing was hilarious. He laughed himself silly, hiding his face against Bester’s fur. Uncle Tsunayoshi had smiled self-deprecatingly with a fond look at his own Storm. And Alessandra herself, she’s happy with this. She has a Sun, two or three friends, a brother, an uncle, a crazy family and Kisuke. 

That’s all she needs, no matter how much the old man tries to push elements her way. It’s not like her brother would ever bother to open the door for them anyway and the Varia themselves are too possessive of their princess to allow any underhanded methods. 

And Alessandra, she’s possessive of them too. She’s broken more than a couple of noses from people who thought they could badmouth her brother in her presence. Which is why when Antonio, thinking he’s smart, smacks a kiss on her lips, Alessandra breaks both his arm and his nose before she moves on with a hum and growl.

But when, on the same day, he does the same to Francesca, Alessandra declares war in the confines of her mind. If broken bones and injured pride are not enough to show this little ass the error of his way, Alessandra will just show him the fragility of his mortality. She’s Alessandra, princess of the Varia, and she learns at her brother’s side.

“What are you going to do?” Francesca murmurs, hiding the movements of her lips with a careful flick of her hair.

Alessandra just smiles, wide and angelic.

When the final bell rings and the class is dismissed, Alessandra makes a beeline for her prey with a smile that doesn’t try to hide the edge of danger on it. Her brother will see right through her and may or may not play along but he’s on a meeting until tonight. And the rest of the Varia will fall for it. Hook, line and sinker. 

Except for Kisuke but he will play along. He always does.

Dragging stupid Antonio to where Liam is waiting for her to drive her back to the castle is no more difficult than a look under her lashes she learned from Bianchi and a small pout she copied from Francesca herself. How Antonio buys it, she doesn’t know. As soon as they step a foot inside the castle, it’s game on.

Luckily enough, it’s Belphegor who comes to greet them. “Ushishishi, who is this peasant, principessa?”

Belphegor is annoyed enough. He’s the jealous type and hates it when peasants get in the way of his bonding with her. Alessandra doesn’t mind, he’s a mixture of an older brother turned tutor turned brother again. She’s gotten used to his mercurial temper. “This is Antonio, I think he’s my boyfriend now.”

“Oh?” Kisuke taps his fan against the door from where he’s standing a couple of steps behind Belphegor. “You think?”

“Well, he just kissed me,” Alessandra shrugs, offering her backpack to her driver. “I assume that’s what it means.”

Prince Bel’s smile is frozen on his face and Kisuke’s gaze sharpens both with amusement and actual irritation. “Ushishishi, principessa, why don’t you go inside? The prince will give this peasant a lesson on the proper treatment of princesses.” 

Alessandra smiles, kisses Belphegor’s cheek and accepts Kisuke’s mischievous proud smile as she walks by him, closing the door behind her. 

* * *

Xanxus doesn’t think much of Urahara. The man is a genius and it shows, his machines and treatments are helping Ale well enough but Xanxus is not a trusting kind of man, doesn’t ever remember being one. So he keeps a close eye on their interactions, makes sure that Urahara is never alone with his sister. 

The whole treatment, though, makes Ale nervous. Jittery in a way Xanxus wishes his sister didn’t understand. So Xanxus makes an effort of it being him who shows up to her appointments with Urahara. Watches their interactions in silence and pretends not to see the edge of desperate guilt on the man’s face every time Ale turns to make sure Xanxus is still there.

Ale and Urahara… They cling to each other. 

It’s sort of sweer and sort of frustrating because Xanxus would have liked to make a clean break but it seems that Urahara is here to stay. The three of them spend a lot of time together.

He’s not sure at what point Urahara stops being this man who Xanxus only tolerated for his sister’s sake to turn instead into somebody Xanxus is comfortable being around with.

Unlike Ale, Xanxus doesn’t turn to Urahara for advice or solutions. Xanxus… He’s old enough, experienced enough, that he doesn’t particularly need a mentor. But at some point during the long months of stress, while his sister’s soul healed, at some point in there, Xanxus learned to trust that the scientist will be there. 

And Xanxus… He never wanted to understand his sister’s utter certainty when Ale speaks of Urahara, the immovable knowledge that the blond will stand by them. And damn the asshole but Xanxus does. He understands now. 

So this night, when Xanxus wakes up and knows, deep in his bones, that it will be a bad night. This night, when Urahara silently sits down beside the Varia Boss, close enough that Xanxus can feel the heat of him beside him, Xanxus doesn’t pull away. Not this time.

Instead, he admits to himself that he will accept whatever trinket Urahara creates to protect him after the blonde finds out and sighs, dropping his own weight on the man’s side. Urahara doesn’t say a word, he just pulls his haori and his arm protectively across Xanxus’ shoulders and accepts Ale’s solid weight on his lap.

Urahara has never pretended to be a father, or even that he knows all the answers. He has never promised Xanxus love, devotion or protection. He’s a pragmatic kind of guy, Urahara. Made of a cynicism that Xanxus understands. It’s easy for a street rat to recognize another. 

None of this has been stated, no. But Urahara has also never claimed to be a good man, to believe in the greater good. No, Urahara will do whatever he deems necessary to keep them safe and that, that Xanxus can understand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **HomeSky/WarSky:** currently working on second chapter :) We're at 9k. Snippets [here.](https://twitter.com/i/status/1265244790309957633)  
>  **Kisuke's POV:** We're at 3.7k but Kisuke seems to be finally cooperating. I'm debating releasing some snippets to my twitter.  
>  **Xanxus!Dragon Prince Consort AU:** This was supposed to be a drabble and then took over. We're at 4.9k. There are snippets in my twitter [here](https://twitter.com/i/status/1264984353983148033) if you want them. Just endure the first few screenshots until I decided threads were better.


	3. From [Health] to [Brother]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can be summarized as Rukia's last-ditch attempt and Xanxus's over protectiveness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A day too late. Sorry, I'm all over the place.

#  (Health)

Alessandra is 14 by the time Kisuke finally declares her soul completely healed. It doesn’t escape her notice that she’s closing in on the age that Ichigo was when he got dragged into Soul Society’s messes. 

They’re still insistent on calling in on her every now and then, though her brother always turns them away and their efforts have dwindled now that they know her injuries mean she’s not the powerhouse Ichigo used to be. 

But the injuries are gone, left with only faint scars to prove they once existed. And Alessandra, for the first time in a long time, feels light with the lack of old aches. She feels warm and free in a way usually only her older brother’s hugs manage. 

She calls on old power, tired maniacal laughter like an echo inside her head, extends her hand and feels the mask materialize in it. It feels natural in a manner that’s almost foreign for how long ago the memories are but it’s a lovely sensation.

Like stretching her limbs, like being free. And Alessandra stares at it blankly, ignoring Kisuke’s hands hovering around her. 

“Alessandra?” Kisuke plays nervously with the edges of his hat, presses it against his chest. “How are you feeling?”

“Warm,” she decides on saying, uncomprehending, and offers the mask up to him. 

Two things happen at the same time. Xanxus snarls, furious as he pivots and blasts the walls with shot after shot, his elements watching silently. And Kisuke drops to his knees, hugs her tightly to his chest and weeps, quiet and relieved. 

It makes Alessandra inhale sharply even as she clings back, grateful for Francesca’s steady presence at her back. When the shots ring out, the only sound left being Xanxus’ harsh breathing, Alessandra reaches for him, one hand extended in his direction as she concentrates on breathing. 

#  (Comfort)

She is not Ichigo. That’s what Rukia fails to understand. Alessandra and Ichigo have the same core, she remembers being him but she  _ isn’t _ him. When once Rukia’s pushing would have moved Ichigo a certain way, now it makes Alessandra furious at the manipulation in a way she isn’t used to. 

Not when it comes to Rukia anyway. 

“All spirits are equal. If you intend to save this child, you commit yourself to save every spirit,” Rukia had told Ichigo long ago. She had dragged Alessandra to witness something worse this time, tried to give her the same discourse. 

But Alessandra is not Ichigo, she is mafia raised. And even if she weren’t, Ichigo had taught her the prize of carrying the world on her shoulders. 

“I have other people to protect now.” That had been Alessandra’s answer, where Ichigo’s had been acceptance. “I won’t turn my back on them for you.”

It’s easy to be so high and mighty, Alessandra had not mentioned, when you only ask and never give. So assured in your own goodness that you never spare a thought for those you discard. 

Rukia had not expected the refusal, Alessandra knows. More likely than not, she had thought that by going over Xanxus’ head, she’d get Alessandra’s compliance. 

Alessandra knows the state she’s in, knows what her brother’s reaction will be. And hesitates, for a split second in front of his door. It’s the middle of the night, she could shower, come back to talk to him in the morning. But she needs him now and Xanxus has never begrudged her this. 

She makes it inside quietly, closing the door behind her. 

Squalo stirs, sleepily reaching to turn on the lamp on his side of the bed. “Brat?”

It goes unanswered as Alessandra hurries to scurry into her brother’s side before Squalo can take a good look at her. Xanxus hugs her to his chest with a mumble, just awake enough to be somewhat conscious, “ok?”

Because she doesn’t want to lie to him, she doesn’t answer. Instead, she kisses his cheek and burrows closer. “Sleep.”

From his side of the bed, Squalo scoffs. “Fuck it, fine.” The lamp gets turned off, “voi, we’re talking in the morning, little brat. Don’t think you’re off the hook.” 

Xanxus hides his chuckle against her hair at her sigh but tellingly, doesn’t contradict the swordsman. That’s alright, Alessandra knew. 

#  (Brother)

Alessandra wakes up feeling just as tired as when she went to sleep. Her brother hasn't stirred yet, his warm breath is hitting the top of her head and his arms keep her securely close to his chest. Alessandra closes her eyes and burrows closer, for a moment longing for those days when she was small enough that her brother's chest could be both mattress and pillow.

She's bigger now, though, but her brother's hugs are just as good. She hopes, sometimes, that Ichigo was as comforting to his sisters as Xanxus is to her. Behind Xanxus, Squalo is already awake. He's sitting with his back against the headboard, glasses low on his nose and an open book forgotten on his right hand. The swordsman is eyeing her calculatingly, it would be unsettling if this wasn't the same man who taught her how to braid her hair.

"Better, brat?" His voice is low in deference to Xanxus's sleep.

Not better, no. Not worse, either. Alessandra doesn't know. Somehow Squalo knows, he always does. He sighs, "want me to bring Urahara?"

It makes Alessandra press her lips together. She wants Kisuke here, yes, but she doesn't want Squalo to go and she doesn't want to give out the wrong impression. There's nothing wrong with her soul, her feelings are just hurt. In the end, she grumbles wordlessly and offers the crumpled piece of fabric she has somewhat forgotten she's crushing in her hand.

Squalo takes it gingerly, unfolding it until he can see what it is. There's a sharp intake of breath before he reaches for the phone, dialling even as he shakes Xanxus awake. "Grab the brat, we need to go." He turns his attention to the call as soon as it's answered, "Sawada, we got a situation."

Xanxus snarls, kissing her forehead to soften the gesture but he wastes no time either. He grabs his guns from the nightstand, one hand pulling Alessandra to him and then rolling out of bed while taking the safety off of his gun. "What is it?" He turns to Squalo who just raises the badge for him to see. 

That has Xanxus dissolving into a string of curses, grabbing her nape gently to press their foreheads together. "Ale, you're fine, I got you."

Alessandra closes her eyes, letting her brother hold her close. "I told her no."

"Then I'll make sure she listens," Xanxus soothes, thumb caressing her cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be fair, Rukia already lost Kaien and this was her misguided attempt of trying to get her best friend back. Still a shitty thing to do but she genuinely can't separate Ichigo from Alessandra.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm too lazy to add in my social media at the moment! but you guys know I'm always open for you guys to contact me :)  
> lets be friends.


End file.
